Projects

Urban Movement Labs works with communities, companies, and policymakers to match emerging technology solutions to address everyday mobility challenges.

Ideas Accelerator

Connecting Warner Center

Date: 2020

Location: Warner Center, City of Los Angeles

UML facilitated a workshop to discuss mobility challenges and opportunities to reduce reliance on personally owned vehicles and increase connectivity in and around Warner Center. The workshop led to the release of a Request for Information, to which 27 mobility technologies presented ideas for improving transportation in the area. Spurred by this accelerator, in November 2020, City Council designated the Warner Center as the City’s first Transportation Technology Innovation Zone to make it easier to test mobility technology solutions, such as Kiwibot. In addition, UML partners with the Warner Center Association and secured funding in Summer 2021 to support pilot projects, study infrastructure needs for autonomous vehicles and spur research and development jobs in the area.

Electric Feel – EV Charging and Access

Date: 2021

Location: City of Los Angeles

With transportation accounting for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in California, shifting from traditional to electric vehicles must be accelerated. In Los Angeles, most residents live in rental units, creating a barrier to EV access as many multi-family homes lack the appropriate charging infrastructure. Additionally, the focus has often been on facilitating a transition to EV’s for large fleets, which has limited messaging to smaller and medium-sized businesses. UML facilitated a workshop to discuss challenges and brainstorm ideas to facilitate access to EVs and develop the necessary infrastructure to support LA’s transportation electrification.

Tortoise – Testing Operations Models

Date: 2020-Present

Location:West Los Angeles

Tortoise operates personal delivery devices that are remote-controlled and paired with staff during pilot operations that provide grocery and small parcel deliveries. Currently, Tortoise is testing different operation models by partnering with businesses in West L.A. to understand how these devices can best provide services to community members. We are testing a distribution center and mother ship models.

Partners: Tortoise

Urban Proving Grounds Pilots

Kiwibot – Delivering the Data

Date: 2020 – Present

Location: Warner Center, City of Los Angeles

Kiwibot partnered with UML in response to the Warner Center RFI to test their solution for reducing the need for employees in the Warner Center to spend their lunchtime driving. However, with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, delivery devices, which operate at low speeds to deliver food or small parcels, had few people to deliver. As a result, UML worked with Kiwibot and Streets LA to test device sensors and cameras that could help to prioritize maintenance dollars and new infrastructure. This pilot project led to software improvements to guide data collection, including sidewalk maintenance, tree well locations, ambient shade, and sidewalk furniture placement. Streets LA looks forward to incorporating such data into their decision-making framework.

IBI CurbIQ – Digitizing the Curb

Date: 2021 – Present

Location:Downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Warner Center

UML and IBI are working on a project to test the company’s CurbIQ tool, which develops a digital inventory of curb regulations generated by using both a vehicle-mounted camera and pedestrian-operated camera to collect signage data. This database allows public agencies to integrate available curb activity data and model potential regulatory changes. UML has worked with IBI and other stakeholders to identify locations that test the technology’s capabilities to collect data within different urban contexts and continues to facilitate workshops between IBI and stakeholders to inform this pilot effort.

Partners: IBI Group

Automotus – Understanding Commercial Activity

Date: 2021 – Present

Location: Tentative

As new mobility options compete for limited curb space, new data-driven solutions are needed to understand curb activity and inform policy changes. Automotus uses video analytics tools to understand better curb activities, parking volumes, occupancy patterns, and commercial space utilization. UML and Automotus have partnered to showcase how we can use the technology to understand commercial delivery fleet activities and model commercial space potential costing strategies. Our team is currently working to identify locations to test this use case.

Smart Loading Zone Pilot Project Website: https://urbanmovementlabs.org/loadingzone/

Mocean – A Floating Car Share

Date: 2020 – Present

Location:Downtown Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, West LA, Mar Vista, Warner Center

A multimodal mobility network includes access to diverse options that meet different travel needs, including access to a car. For example, UML’s partner, Mocean, has launched a new car share service using a “Home Zone” model that allows members to drop off vehicles anywhere within a geofenced area. This model provides greater flexibility for residents within a neighborhood compared to other services in Los Angeles. Currently, Mocean’s car-share is operating in Downtown Los Angeles, Eagle Rock, and West LA and has expanded to Mar Vista and Warner Center with the support of UML.

Policy

Urban Air Mobility Partnership – The Policy Runway

Date: 2021-Present

Location: Los Angeles

As Urban Air Mobility technology evolves rapidly, low noise, electric aircraft may be certified for moving goods and people by 2024. Existing regulatory models open the door for operations from local airports and some heliports. The City of Los Angeles has an opportunity to guide the integration of UAM through the planning and permitting of new aviation infrastructure and operations. Leading the UAM Partnership, UML is working with city agencies to develop an understanding of this technology. We are convening aviation expertise across government agencies and engaging with the community to empower residents to inform UAM’s mobility network. Additionally, we are developing a policy toolkit to inform UAM regulations and ensure we do not overlook pertinent topics ahead of the UAM services launch.

Partners: LADOT, Department of City Planning, FAA, NASA, Caltrans, OEM’s including Supernal (formerly Hyundai Urban Air Mobility), Archer Aviation, Blade, Helinet, Skyroads, Overair and Volocopter.

Want To Be Involved?

Check out our Contact Page to tell us more about your interest in getting involved. Whether you want to pitch a project, attend a workshop, suggest a solution, or get to know other transportation change-makers in LA – there’s a spot here for you!

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